When Mary Poindexter moved to Chandler from Michigan 12 years ago, one of the first community events she attended was the Multicultural Festival.

Poindexter was so taken with the festival that she’s been back every year. She also took her involvement a step further and joined the city’s Human Relations Commission, which helps plan the festival and other cultural activities.

“It’s been near and dear to my heart,” Poindexter said. “It’s a chance for the community to see the different ethnic groups we have and how diverse Chandler is. It’s a chance to showcase those different cultures.”

Saturday's Multicultural Festival is the signature event in the city’s monthlong Celebration of Unity, which honors the community’s heritage and diversity, the civil-rights movement and the spirit and ideals of Martin Luther King Jr.

Initially, the Multicultural Festival and Celebration of Unity were separate. The Friends of the Chandler Public Library started the festival 18 years ago. The Celebration of Unity began in 2000 as a single-day celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday with the Rev. Jesse Jackson as featured speaker. The festival came under the umbrella of the Celebration of Unity and the Human Relations Commission in 2004.

Over the years the festival has grown to include music and entertainment on two stages, by groups representing various cultures. The festival includes demonstrations of cultural sports and games (Zumba will be featured this year) and vendors selling a range of foods.

Three years ago organizers teamed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to conduct a naturalization ceremony. This year, more than 200 people will take the oath of citizenship at the festival.

Among Poindexter’s favorite parts of the festival is the Creative Expressions youth competition. Creative Expressions allows school-age children who live or attend school in Chandler to submit an essay, visual-art piece or performance with their interpretation of a theme. This year’s theme is “Many Drums, Different Beats, One Song.”

“That’s the part I’m most proud of,” said Poindexter, who is a well-known singer and artist in the community. “When I first joined, we had just the writing portion. I was one who pushed for the kids who didn’t write well but could sing or dance or play an instrument. We expanded it at that time and the numbers have grown and grown.”

The festival has helped Poindexter evolve from a new resident trying to find her way around the city to one of Chandler’s ambassadors.

“It’s opened my eyes, so I always try to get people to come out,” Poindexter said. “Because once they come, they come back year after year.”

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